Huskers Complete Third Day of ITA Regionals

Iowa City, Iowa – The Nebraska Women’s Tennis team has been competing at the ITA Regional Championships at the University of Iowa for the past three days. Seven Huskers have participated in the action.

Day one started with singles qualifying matches to earn a spot in the 128-player singles bracket. There were two rounds of qualifying for unseeded players to have a chance to play in the main bracket. On Friday afternoon, the first round of the 64-team doubles tournament was played.

Saturday consisted of doubles round of 32 matches in the morning followed by singles round of 128 and round of 64 matches in the afternoon. Finally, Sunday’s action saw doubles contestants shrink to 16 while round of 32 and round of 16 singles matches were played.

NU junior Emma Worley won her first qualifying match on Friday 6-0, 7-5 over Jabrzemski (OU). However, she fell to Absisan (UNO) 6-2, 6-3 in her second match. Worley then went to the consolation bracket, where she lost to Motosono (OU) 4-6, 6-3 (12-10).

Chicago native Marina Cozac also competed in singles qualifying matches and won both of her contests on Friday. She def. Bjelica (WIU) 6-3, 6-1 and Ball (UMKC) 6-2, 6-1 to earn a bid into the main singles bracket. In her only match in the singles main bracket, Cozac was defeated by McKenzie (SLU) 2-6, (7-6), 6-2. She then went on to win two straight matches in the consolation bracket before losing in a back and forth quarterfinals battle to Grib (ISU) 7-6, 1-6, 10-6 to end her weekend with a 4-2 record.

In the 128-player singles bracket, Huskers freshman Jessica Aragon won her first match on Friday 6-4, 2-6, (7-5) over Sharma (UMKC). She then fell to Koch (KU) 6-1, 6-1, eliminating her from championship contention.

Vasanti Shinde had a bye in the first round of the singles main bracket but fell to Mannix (IOWA) 6-1, 6-1 in the round of 64. Shinde later opted out of the consolation bracket.

Junior Claire Reifeis, who won her bracket at the Minnesota Invitational last month, also earned a first-round bye. In the second round, she won a thriller over Zerulo (ARK) 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Reifeis later fell in the round of 32 to Poppe (TULSA) 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1.

Hayley Haakenstad fell in the first round of the singles bracket to Bacalla (IOWA) 6-3, 7-6 (7-1). In her next match on Sunday, Haakenstad was beaten by Corley (OU) 6-2, 6-3 to eliminate her from contention.

NU senior Elizabeth Gould lost in her first singles qualifying match to Miller (OU) 6-2, 6-1 on Friday. She also participated in one match on Sunday, falling 6-2, 6-0 to Wright (MIZZ).

In doubles action, NU sent three pairs to participate in the 64-team bracket. Shinde/Aragon, Reifeis/Haakenstad and Cozac/Gould all played together at the Minnesota Invitational and stayed together once again for this weekend’s action.

In the round of 64, Shinde/Aragon def. Kamdem/Munteanu (SIU) 8-1 to advance to the second round. Decker/Linares (KSU) def. Cozac/Gould 8-2 to eliminate them from championship contention. Haakenstad/Reifeis also fell in the round of 64. They lost to Mesquita/Turco (KSU) 8-6 to end their doubles title hopes.

Shinde/Aragon went on to defeat Mancera/Zhang (MINN) 8-5 in the round of 32 and Zerulo/Rice (ARK) 8-4 in the round of 16. They will take their 3-0 doubles record on the weekend into a quarterfinal battle with Cappuro/Romero (OU) tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.

How to Follow Along

-For match results and live streams from Iowa City, visit www.hawkeyesports.com/ITACentral.

-Follow us on Twitter @HuskersWTennis and Facebook @huskerswomenstennis for frequent updates throughout the tournament.

Results

Singles Qualifying (Friday, Oct. 12):

-Marina Cozac (NEB) def. Bjelica (WIU) 6-3, 6-1 and Ball (UMKC) 6-2, 6-1

-Miller (OU) def. Elizabeth Gould (NEB) 6-2, 6-1

-Emma Worley (NEB) def. Jabrzemski (OU) 6-0, 7-5

-Absisan (UNO) def. Emma Worley (NEB) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles Round of 64 (Friday, Oct. 12):

-Shinde/Aragon (NEB) def. Kamdem/Munteanu (SIU) 8-1

-Decker/Linares (KSU) def. Cozac/Gould (NEB) 8-2

-Mesquita/Turco (KSU) def. Haakenstad/Reifeis (NEB) 8-6

Singles Round of 128 (Saturday, Oct. 13):

-Jessica Aragon (NEB) def Sharma (UMKC) 6-4, 2-6, (7-5)

-Bacalla (IOWA) def. Hayley Haakenstad (NEB) 6-3, 7-6 (7-1)

-McKenzie (SLU) def. Marina Cozac (NEB) 2-6, (7-6), 6-2

-Vasanti Shinde (NEB) and Claire Reifeis (NEB) had BYES

Singles Round of 64 (Saturday, Oct. 13):

-Koch (KU) def. Jessica Aragon (NEB) 6-1, 6-1

-Claire Reifeis (NEB) def. Zerulo (ARK) 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3

-Mannix (IOWA) def. Vasanti Shinde (NEB) 6-1, 6-1

Singles Consolation Round of 32 (Saturday, Oct. 13):

-Marina Cozac (NEB) def. Walczak (DRAKE) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles Round of 32 (Saturday, Oct. 13):

-Shinde/Aragon (NEB) def. Mancera/Zhang (MINN) 8-5

Singles Round of 32 (Sunday, Oct. 14):

-Poppe (Tulsa) def. Claire Reifeis (NEB) 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1

Doubles Round of 16 (Sunday, Oct. 14):

-Shinde/Aragon (NEB) def. Zerulo/Rice (ARK) 8-4

Singles Consolation Round of 16 (Sunday, Oct. 14):

-Vasanti Shinde (NEB) Opted Out

-Marina Cozac (NEB) def. Rice (ARK) 6-3, 2-6 (10-3)

-Corley (OU) def. Hayley Haakenstad (NEB) 6-4, 6-1

Singles Consolation Quarterfinals (Sunday, Oct. 14):

-Grib (ISU) def. Marina Cozac (NEB) 7-6, 1-6, 10-6